Fiercely feminist, this reimagining of a lesser-known goddess crackles with magic.
Hekate quests across the Underworld to discover her purpose and power in this trilogy opener set in the world of Greek mythology.
Born to Titan parents during a war between the old and new Gods, violet-eyed Godling Hekate spends infancy with her mother, Asteria, in a hidden walled garden. As the war draws to a close, the victorious Olympians breach their sanctuary, pursuing mother and daughter across land and sea. They cross the world seeking safety but find only ash and rubble; all the Titans who opposed Zeus have been enslaved or imprisoned. Desperate, Asteria brings Hekate to the Underworld. There, she appeals to the River Goddess, Styx, and the young God-King of the Underworld, Hades, to protect Hekate. Reluctantly, they agree. As centuries pass, Hekate grows weary of her isolated existence: She’s safe, yes, but it’s clear that much is being kept from her, including the truth about her power. She’s meant to be a Goddess, but the Goddess of what? In a perilous journey across the realms of the Underworld, Hekate builds new friendships and confronts old horrors to claim the answers she seeks. Poet Gill’s recognizable voice anchors this work as much in mythology as in the perils of modern girl- and womanhood; alongside the familiar narrative beats of an adventure story, she explores with care generational trauma, sexual violence, and the cost of war. The characters are fantasy-diverse in appearance.
Fiercely feminist, this reimagining of a lesser-known goddess crackles with magic. (Verse fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316596763
Page Count: 352
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: July 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes.
The Plague has left a population divided between Elites and Ordinaries—those who have powers and those who don’t; now, an Ordinary teen fights for her life.
Paedyn Gray witnessed the king kill her father five years ago, and she’s been thieving and sleeping rough ever since, all while faking Psychic abilities. When she inadvertently saves the life of Prince Kai, she becomes embroiled in the Purging Trials, a competition to commemorate the sickness that killed most of the kingdom’s Ordinaries. Kai’s duties as the future Enforcer include eradicating any remaining Ordinaries, and these Trials are his chance to prove that he’s internalized his brutal training. But Kai can’t help but find Pae’s blue eyes, silver hair, and unabashed attitude enchanting. She likewise struggles to resist his stormy gray eyes, dark hair, and rakish behavior, even as they’re pitted against each other in the Trials and by the king himself. Scenes and concepts that are strongly reminiscent of the Hunger Games fall flat: They aren’t bolstered by the original’s heart or worldbuilding logic that would have justified a few extreme story elements. Illogical leaps and inconsistent characterizations abound, with lighthearted romantic interludes juxtaposed against genocide, child abuse, and sadism. These elements, which are not sufficiently addressed, combined with the use of ableist language, cannot be erased by any amount of romantic banter. Main characters are cued white; the supporting cast has some brown-skinned characters.
A lackluster and sometimes disturbing mishmash of overused tropes. (map) (Fantasy. 14-18)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9798987380406
Page Count: 538
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in.
Black is back with another dark tale of Faerie, this one set in Faerie and launching a new trilogy.
Jude—broken, rebuilt, fueled by anger and a sense of powerlessness—has never recovered from watching her adoptive Faerie father murder her parents. Human Jude (whose brown hair curls and whose skin color is never described) both hates and loves Madoc, whose murderous nature is true to his Faerie self and who in his way loves her. Brought up among the Gentry, Jude has never felt at ease, but after a decade, Faerie has become her home despite the constant peril. Black’s latest looks at nature and nurture and spins a tale of court intrigue, bloodshed, and a truly messed-up relationship that might be the saving of Jude and the titular prince, who, like Jude, has been shaped by the cruelties of others. Fierce and observant Jude is utterly unaware of the currents that swirl around her. She fights, plots, even murders enemies, but she must also navigate her relationship with her complex family (human, Faerie, and mixed). This is a heady blend of Faerie lore, high fantasy, and high school drama, dripping with description that brings the dangerous but tempting world of Faerie to life.
Black is building a complex mythology; now is a great time to tune in. (Fantasy. 14-adult)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-316-31027-7
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2017
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